Boat cover



July 2, 1957 w. T. GILMORE, JR.. ETAL 2,797,697

BOAT COVER Q Filed Aug. 16, 1956 Walter 7'. Gilmore, Jr.

Orrin 5. Chris 1 y V IN V EN TORS,

BY M MQ.

United States Patent BOAT COVER Walter T. Gilmore, Jr., and Orrin E. Christy, Morgan City, La.

Application August 16, 1956, Serial No. 604,495

1 Claim. (Cl. 135-6) The present invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in a simple, practical, light weight boat cover usable in connection with open top boats such as outboard motor boats and the like, the obvious purpose of the invention being to hood over the top portion of the boat in a manner to afford protection to the boats structural pants whether the boat is outdoors or indoors where, for example, it may be subjected to damage from sun rays.

The ordinary boat cover is constructed from snug fitting canvas or equivalent protective material. Of course, there are boat covers which are also made from wood and perhaps sheet materials, too. Keeping in mind as reasonably clear as possible, it is an object of the instant invention to structurally, functionally and otherwise improve upon prior art and marketed covers which may be in analogous or near resemblance to the subject matter herein under consideration. To this end, an adaptation has been evolved and produced which, it is believed, not only fulfills the general objective but is calculated to meet the manufacturing requirements and economies of manufacturers sales appeal needs of retailers and others, and, what is more important, the protection against weather damage required by boat owners.

Stated somewhat more explicitly, it is another object of the invention to provide a readily applicable and removable boat cover which in and of itself bears resemblance to what may be called an upside down boat-like structure and which is therefore characterized by bow and stem members and an open-type framework having longitudinal ribs and crosswise structural members providing a stabilized framework to accommodate either a canvas covering, sheet metal, or a covering of a suitable grade of commercial plastics.

Other objects, features and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description and the accompanying sheet of ofiicial drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the improved boat cover showing the manner in which it is used.

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the same.

Figure 3 is a lengthwise section.

Figures 4 and 5 are cross-sections on the lines 4-4 and 5-5 respectively of Figure 1.

Referring now to the drawings, the relatively small vertical bow member of the framework is denoted at 6 and the stern member by the numeral 8. As seen and in practice, the member 6 is spaced forwardly of the bow 10 of the boat 12 (Fig. 3). By the same (token, the stern member 8 is disposed in spaced rearward parallelism relative to the transom 14 at the stern end of the boat. Longitudinally bowed, relatively narrow planks are provided along the lengthwise sides of the frame structure and are denoted by the numerals 16 and have their ends nailed to the respective end portions of the bow and stern pieces or members 6 and 8. The central and respective end portions of the planks are reinforced by crosswise structural members, three of which are shown in the form 2,797,697 Patented July 2, 1957 of the invention illustrated. Each of these might perhaps be designated as a transverse board. The foremost one is denoted at 18 and is secured at its ends to the planks in any suitable manner and the lower edge 20 is curved as perhaps seen best in Fig. 4 at the point 20. This curvature is to enable the edge to conformingly fit on the deck 22 of the boat. The central member is larger than the others and it is denoted by the numeral 24. The rear board or crosswise member is denoted at 26 and is spaced forwardly of the stern member 8, and of course these members are also secured by nailing or otherwise to the cooperating portions of the bowed planks 16. All of these members 18, 24 and 26 have their upper edges of convex form and said edges are provided at suitably spaced points with keeper notches 28 for the cooperating portions of the several lengthwise structural members which are here referred to conveniently as ribs 30, the forward and rearward ends of the ribs being secured to the members 6 and 8. The lower edge portions of the transverse members 24 and 26 have notches 32 formed therein which define shoulders at 34 and these shouldered notches serve obviously to accommodate the upper edges of the gunwales 36 on the side walls of the boat. This notched and shouldered construction is ample and sufficient to retain this comparatively light weight boat cover in position. In practice, the framework is of course enclosed by a canvas, plastic, or an equivalent sheet material cover, which is denoted generally by the numeral 38 and which has edge portions 40 glued or otherwise conformably fastened to the cooperating exterior surfaces of the planks and the respective front and rear cross members 6 and 8. The ribs will have to be stout enough in practice to give requisite strength to the overall frame. The frame, as before mentioned, may be made of any material, metal, wood, plastics, and so on and the parts may be joined together by nails, screws or bolts, welding, depending on the material employed.

By constructing the cover so that the lengthwise and transverse portions are spaced from the cooperating portions of the covered boat, protection against the elements is provided while at .the same time air circulation to minimize rotting of the parts of the boat is satisfactorily promoted. The cover is easy to apply and remove, and it requires no special holddown straps, ropes or the like to maintain it aptly in position.

It is within the purview of the invention to construct the entire cover from commercial plastics having the general characteristics mentioned.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

A boat cover comprising a boat-shaped structure having a concavo-convex portion and depending side and end portions, and being of a size that its side and end portions are spaced outwardly from the side walls and bow and stern portions of the boat to promote air flow ventilation, and an openwork frame structure mounted within said cover and embodying longitudinal planks, longitudinally bowed ribs, and transverse cross members in parallelism and spaced longitudinally from each other and interconnected with the planks and ribs, said cross members having convex upper edges provided with notches and cooperating portions of said ribs being seated and held in said notches, and end portions of the lower edge portions of certain of said cross membersjbeing notchedto 3 4 provide shoulders, the notches and shoulders serving to 789,982 Lockett May 16, 1905 cooperate with the boat gunwales in a manner to satisfac- 2,390,986 Burns Dec. 18, 1945 torily but removably hold the cover in place. 2,496,085 Engelheant Jan. 31, 1950 2,542,586 Skjeveland Feb. 20, 1951 References Cited in the file of this patent 5 2, 43,910 Lyon Ju e 30, 19 53 UNITED STATES PATENTS 558,401 Lobee Apr. 14, 1896 

